It’s finally rivalry Saturday. In less than ten hours, Michigan State will play host to in-state rival Michigan.

There’s a nip in the air, but the skies are blue. The trees lining the roads from Ann Arbor to East Lansing are bursting with color — reds, oranges, and golds painting every mile. After a week of rain and chill, fall has finally shown up in full force.

For those living in Florida or Texas, it’s hard to explain what it feels like to walk outside and be swallowed by the color of Michigan autumn. But as beautiful as it is, all that fades when kickoff arrives — because by nightfall, only two colors matter: Green vs. Blue.

The Spartans enter this matchup desperate for a win and eager to play spoiler. They come in with one of the nation’s worst defenses and an offense that’s been mediocre at best, led by Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh. There’s talent on the roster — a few players who could easily find their way to the league — but the results haven’t matched the potential.

Jonathan Smith’s coaching tenure, once filled with promise, has spiraled into frustration. After a flat debut season and a lifeless encore, the Spartans are searching for anything that feels like progress. Four straight losses, all in conference play, have left this program on the edge.

Tonight has to be the boiling point. Michigan State must show its fans, its critics, and maybe even itself that it still belongs in the Big Ten. But if the Spartans suffer another blowout like the 49–0 humiliation two years ago, the pot will boil over — and the fallout could be costly for Smith.

I’m a man of loyalty — I grew up watching Matt Millen somehow get extensions with the Lions — so I know what it means to hold on too long. But the patience in East Lansing is wearing thin. If Smith can’t light a fire under this team for this game, then when can he?

On the other side, Michigan enters at 9–2, still chasing a playoff berth despite a gut-punch loss to USC in SoCal. A stumble tonight, though, could unravel all of that.

And that’s exactly what the Spartans are hoping for. Michigan fans take losses to Michigan State harder than they do to Ohio State. Sure, the OSU rivalry is louder — but losing to State? That one lingers. Because Michigan fans expect to win this game.

The water’s on the stove, and the heat is rising. By 10:30 tonight, the pot will be boiling — for one of these two teams.